December 24, 1919

The Council of Workers' and Peasants' Defense has resolved:

1) To recognize the construction of the broad-gauge line Aleksandrov-Gay—Emba and the conversion of the narrow-gauge line Krasnyi Kut—Aleksandrov-Gay into an operational task.

2) To propose to the People's Commissariat of Communications to immediately commence the conversion of the narrow-gauge line Krasnyi Kut—Aleksandrov-Gay to broad-gauge and to conduct the work in military-urgent order.

3) To propose to the Committee of State Construction to immediately commence construction of the line Aleksandrov-Gay—Emba and to conduct the work in military-urgent order according to simplified technical specifications.

4) To consider workers and employees engaged in the conversion and construction of the aforementioned lines as being on active military service in the zone of military operations and to transfer them to Red Army rations.

5) To supply workers and employees engaged in the conversion and construction of the aforementioned lines with work clothing (in winter time with sheepskin coats, warm hats, felt boots, and mittens).

6) To grant the NKPS and the Main Committee of State Construction the right of priority in supplying work with prisoners of war.

7) Property, equipment, provisions, and other material prepared for the needs of construction and conversion shall not be subject to either requisition or confiscation.

8) To oblige the NKPS to conduct all transportation for the needs of conversion and construction on an equal basis with military cargo, and all fuel organizations to supply worker trains with fuel on an equal basis with military trains.

Chairman of the Council of 
Workers' and Peasants' Defense

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

# DECREE OF THE COUNCIL OF DEFENSE
December 24, 1919

1. To approve the measures proposed and partly implemented by the NKPS for improving the utilization of locomotives, namely:

a) to dispatch trains from depot stations according to schedule,

b) to permit crew rotation at turnaround depots,

c) to limit the quantity of firewood for heating locomotives,

d) to strengthen supervision to ensure that trains are not delayed unnecessarily at intermediate stations,

e) to review train compositions on all lines and, where possible, to standardize them, permitting, where necessary, the use of helper engines.

2. To impose upon the People's Commissar of Communications the obligation to take all measures within his power to strengthen locomotive repairs, in particular:

a) to introduce double and triple shifts of workers in those depots and workshops where this proves possible,

b) to strengthen personal supervision of the work of workshops and depots by responsible NKPS officials.

3. To impose upon the VSNKh the obligation to provide every possible assistance to the NKPS in the matter of repairing rolling stock, in particular:

a) by supplying it with materials,